Why Michael Laudrup Could Be the Next Man Utd Manager

Looking at David Moyes at the moment, his face tells a story of a thousand words.

The Manchester United team are the cast in his sorry tale, being filmed in front of disbelieving "Red Devils" fans across the globe. It is very much a "video nasty" at present.

As United lie closer in points to the relegation zone than they do to Premier League leaders Arsenal, there is no doubting Moyes has picked the wrong script when trying to make a good first impression on his new team's supporters.

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The press have gone relatively easy on Moyes almost out of respect for the enormity of his task, and the level of difficulty he has to face as the successor to the greatest manager these isles have ever seen. However, the cracks are not easy to disguise. Moyes is in trouble, and it is not even Christmas yet.

The Glazers hold the key as to how much time and money David Moyes has to fashion his own Manchester United, but the early results may well have changed their perspective. If this is the case, there is every chance they will look to someone else to lead the club forward.

On the surface United look like a rudderless ship on a sea of icebergs and tidal waves.

If a change does occur, the owners could look towards a "hot property" European coach, moving away from the British managerial model the club has always followed.

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The obvious choice would be JurgenKlopp, and he is the bookies' favorite at present. However, with Klopp signing a contract extension until 2018 and proclaiming how he "is still a little bit in love with Dortmund" it feels like he will not be leaving his German oasis anytime soon.

So who could United look towards?

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During his playing career, Michael Laudrup was one of the greatest footballers in Europe, representing Juventus, Barcelona and Real Madrid. He was capped over 100 times for his country and won La Liga on no less than five occasions. His brilliance was noted by Franz Beckenbauerwho remarked:

In the 1960s, the best player was Pele; in the 1970s, it was Cruyff; in the 1980s, it was Maradona; and in the 1990s, it’s Laudrup.

Laudrup's rise to managerial fame with Swansea City might seem meteoric, but this follows a 10-year spell as a first-team coach in Denmark, Spain and Russia. He has certainly done his apprenticeship.

If United were to look away from Moyes, a manager who favours function over flair, the dynamism of Laudrup would be favoured by United fans, and in keeping with the spirit of the football club.

Laudrup's age and philosophy would be perfect for United—a man only six months short of 50 years old, and a manager who wants to play attacking and creative football. It seems like a marriage made in football heaven.

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One facet Laudrup has over David Moyes is his vast knowledge of, and involvement in, "big club" football as a player. This surely gives him an understanding about the psychology of the top players, than others who have not experienced such challenges.

Even though Laudrup has only been in English football for one full season, it is clear he is a highly developed manager and tactician. Similar comparisons can be made with Southampton's Mauricio Pochettino, a former Argentinian international footballer who spent three years cutting his managerial teeth in the top division in Spain.

Though he is not as decorated as Laudrup, he is almost a decade younger. He could be the type of manager United would look towards as well, but the time does not seem right for him yet.

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If United's form continues to sink then there is no guarantee Moyes will get the time he needs to prove Sir Alex Ferguson was right when making him "The Chosen One."

If United did sack Moyes after such a short tenure, it would be more of a failure by the Glazer family, than that of the departing manager. However, in a world where commerce and sponsorship dominates with more weight than the love of the sport, the financial-driven logic of the Glazers might direct them towards a new tactic.

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Laudrup would be a popular appointment in terms of the United brand.

If Manchester United decide a sea change is coming, there is no doubt the opportunity to manage one of the giants of world football would not be one Michael Laudrup would pass on.

If Moyes' luck does not change very soon, yet again a Swansea City manager could be on his way to the biggest job of his life, in the north west of England.